A package, a pre-formed foldable sheet, a method of grouping articles and a method of placing articles on a shelf

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to a package comprising an enclosure and retentions. The enclosure is sized and configured to receive several articles aligned within the enclosure. The enclosure has an opening at each of two opposite ends. A retention is located at each end of the enclosure. At least one retention is retractable. For grouping, the articles are aligned on a pre-formed foldable sheet. The sheet is folded to enclose the articles. Opposite edges of the sheet are glued together to form an enclosure about the plurality of articles. A retention is folded at each end of the enclosure. After placing the package on a shelf, any retention at one end of the enclosure is displaced to free the articles. Pushing on the articles through an opposite end allows the articles to slide onto the shelf. A pre-formed foldable sheet for forming the package is also disclosed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of packaging. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a package, a method of grouping articles, a method of placing articles on a shelf and a pre-formed foldable sheet.

BACKGROUND

Various types of consumer products, for example food products, personal care products, cosmetics, and the like, are sold in small containers that are placed on the shelf of grocery stores, drugstores and convenience stores. Many of these items are inexpensive and store owners are looking for ways to maintain low price points.

These products are oftentimes shipped to stores in larger packages, usually cardboard packages. Store personnel take those packages from crates, tear down the packages to empty their content and place the small containers one by one on shelves. This is a labor intensive operation that adds to the sales price of many consumer products.

Therefore, there is a need for improvements in the field of packaging that would reduce the amount of manpower required for placing articles on store shelves.

SUMMARY

According to the present disclosure, there is provided a package comprising an enclosure and retentions. The enclosure is sized and configured for receiving a plurality of articles aligned within the enclosure. The enclosure has an opening at each of two opposite ends. At least one retention is located at each of the two opposite ends of the enclosure. At least one of the two opposite ends includes at least one retractable retention.

According to the present disclosure, there is also provided a method of grouping articles. A plurality of articles is aligned on a pre-formed foldable sheet. The pre-formed foldable sheet is folded to enclose the plurality of articles. Opposite edges of the pre-formed foldable sheet are glued together to form an enclosure about the plurality of articles. At least one retention is folded at each of the two opposite ends of the enclosure.

According to the present disclosure, there is also provided a method of placing articles on a shelf. The above described package is placed on the shelf. At least one retractable retention at a first end of the enclosure is displaced to free the plurality of articles. Pushing on the plurality of articles through a second end of the enclosure opposite from the first end allows the plurality of articles to slide onto the shelf.

The present disclosure further relates to a pre-formed foldable sheet. The foldable sheet comprises a floor panel, a pair of side panels and two top flaps. The side panels are attached at lower ends thereof on each side of the floor panel. A first top flap extends from an upper end of one of the side panels. A second top flap extends from an upper end of another one of the side panels. A first retention is positioned at a first end of the pre-formed foldable sheet on the floor panel or on the first top flap. A second retention is positioned at a second end of the pre-formed foldable sheet opposite from the first end, the second retention being positioned on the floor panel or on the first top flap.

The foregoing and other features will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of illustrative embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the disclosure will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a pre-formed foldable sheet according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a package according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the package of FIG. 2, showing a detail of a foldable retention;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a tearable retention;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of a combination package according to an embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the combination package of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the combination package of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the combination package of FIG. 5;

FIGS. 9a and 9b provide a representation of an operation of tearing a tearable retention of the package of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 9c and 9d provide a representation of an operation of unfolding a foldable retention of the package of FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 9e, 9f and 9g provide a representation of an operation of pushing articles from the package FIG. 2.

Like numerals represent like features on the various drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various aspects of the present disclosure generally address one or more of the problems of manpower requirements for placing articles on store shelves.

Generally speaking, the present disclosure introduces a packaging technology intended to facilitate placement of articles, for example small containers, in particular but not exclusively on store shelves. A pre-formed foldable sheet, for example made of cardboard, is shaped to form a package having an enclosure formed about a predetermined number of articles when folded. Shapes are pre-formed in the sheet so that they may form retentions at two opposite ends of the enclosure when folded to maintain the articles in position within the package. The retentions are retractable so that store personnel may free the articles from the enclosure when placing the articles on a shelf. Some of the retentions may be foldable and some retentions may be tearable. The articles are aligned within the package and can easily maintain their alignment when pushed from the package onto the shelf.

Examples illustrated in the following drawings will show that a package is adapted to contain small containers of food products. It will be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to packages adapted to the shipping of food products and is not limited to packages adapted to the shipping of containers. The present packaging technology may be adapted to holding various types of consumer articles, including without limitation household articles or small toys, that may or may not be enclosed in small boxes.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a pre-formed foldable sheet according to an embodiment. A pre-formed foldable sheet 10, for example and without limitation a cardboard sheet, comprises a floor panel 12, two (2) side panels 14 and 16 and two (2) top flaps 18 and 20 located on opposite edges of the sheet 10. Longitudinal scorings 22 delimit junctions between the floor panel 12, the side panels 14 and 16 and the top flaps 18 and 20. The scorings 22 and other scorings described hereinbelow may be formed as dotted-line piercings, depressions, or a combination of dotted-line piercings and depressions in the material forming the sheet 10. The longitudinal scorings 22 are intended to guide and facilitate folding of the sheet 10 so that an enclosure can be formed.

Relative sizes of the floor panel 12, the side panels 14 and 16 and the top flaps 18 and 20 as shown on FIG. 1 are illustrative and do not limit the present disclosure. These sizes are adapted and configured for holding a number of articles (examples of which are shown on later Figures). For example, a width W₁ of the floor panel may be substantially equal to a width of the articles at their base. Heights H₁ and H₂ of the side panels 14 and 16 may be substantially equal to a height of the articles; the height H₁ may be equal to or may differ slightly from the height H₂, depending on the shape of the articles. Widths W₂ and W₃ of the top flaps are also adapted as a function of the size of the articles. In one embodiment, the width W₂ of the top flap 18 may be smaller than the width W₃ of the top flap 20, whereby a small overlap between the top flaps 18 and 20 is sufficient for gluing the top flap 18 to the top flap 20 when forming the enclosure. In another embodiment, the widths W₂ and W₃ are configured so that the top flap 20 may be glued on top of the top flap 18 with substantially complete overlap of the top flaps 18 and 20 when forming the enclosure, this configuration conferring an enhanced rigidity of the enclosure that, in turn, allows stacking enclosures on top of one another. Depending on the size and shape of the articles, the width W₁ may for example be broader than the heights H₁ and H₂. Connecting the top flaps 18 and 20 by other methods, for example by stapling, is also contemplated.

A pre-formed, retractable bottom retention 24 is located at each end of the floor panel 12. In more details, each bottom retention 24 includes an opening 26 as well as scorings 28 and 30. When folding the sheet 10, folding of the scorings 28 inward of the formed enclosure defines projections 32 that will lock the bottom of articles to be held in the package. As will be illustrated in a later Figure, the scorings 30 are intended to facilitate tearing of the bottom retentions 24 for releasing the articles.

A pre-formed, retractable top retention 34 is located at each end of the top flap 20. Each top retention 34 is formed by a cut 36 that extends over a junction defined by the scorings 22 between the top flap 20 and the side panel 16. When folding the sheet 10, folding scorings 38 inward of the formed enclosure will bring the top retentions 34 inward to maintain the articles within the enclosure. As will be illustrated in a later Figure, the top retentions 34 can be pushed outward to release the articles.

To form a package, a plurality of articles is aligned on the pre-formed foldable sheet 10, more specifically on the floor panel 12. The articles are enclosed in the package by folding the sheet 10 and by gluing together the top panels 18 and 20, thereby forming an enclosure. The various retentions 24 and 24 are folded at each end of the sheet 10 to maintain the articles within the enclosure. If desired, it is possible to glue two (2) packages side-by-side.

On FIG. 1, apertures 44 at a junction between the floor panel 12 and the side panel 14 are useful for mechanization of the process leading to the forming of a package including the articles.

As illustrated, the top flap 18 may be truncated at each of its ends 40 in order to not interfere with operation of the top retentions 34. A length L₁ of the sheet 10 measured between the retentions 24 and 34 is sized to accommodate a desired number of articles aligned within the enclosure.

In one variant, foldable retentions similar to the top retentions 34 may be provided on the floor panel 12. In another variant, tearable retentions similar to the bottom retentions 24 may be provided on the top flap 20. When the sheet 10 is folded, the retentions 24 and 34 will be located in opposite corners of openings of the formed enclosures. This configuration is provided for illustration purposes and does not limit the present disclosure. Other configurations including one (1), three (3) or four (4) retentions at each opening of the enclosures are contemplated. The number, sizes and shapes of the retentions may be adapted to the need of a particular application.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a package according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the package of FIG. 2, showing a detail of a foldable retention. FIG. 3 shows one end of the package, this face mirroring an opposite end of the same package. FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a tearable retention. Referring at once to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, a package 100 is formed by folding the sheet 10 about a number of articles. As illustrated, the shown articles are containers 110 that contain food products, for example soda cans, beer cans, containers for pudding, yogurt, fruits, and the like. In this particular example, the containers 110 are generally cylindrical with a constant diameter or with a diameter that may vary between their base 112 and their top 116. Otherwise stated, the base 112 may be wider or narrower than the top 116. As shown in the non-limiting embodiment of FIG. 3, the top flaps 18 and 20 are sized so that they form a ceiling 42 of the package 100 having a width that substantially matches the top width of the containers 110 when they are in substantially complete overlap.

The base 112 of each container 110 includes an aperture 114 so that the top 116 of a lower container 110 is inserted in the aperture 114 of an upper container 110. Referring again to FIG. 1, the width W₁ of the floor panel 12 is adapted to match a width of the base 112 of the containers 110 and the heights H₁ and H₂ of the side panels 14 and 16 are adapted to the height of two (2) containers 110 as stacked within the package 100. Of course, other configurations in which other containers or articles are not vertically stacked are contemplated, in which case the heights H₁ and H₂ of the side panels 14 and 16 are adapted to each particular configuration. Generally speaking, the sheet 10 and the package 100 are shaped according to the shape and number of articles grouped within the package 100, these articles possibly having, without limitation, square, rectangular, triangular, round or ovoid cross-sections.

As detailed on FIGS. 3 and 4, the containers 110 are maintained in the package 100 at the top by the retention 34 and at the bottom by the projection 32 of the retention 24.

As shown on FIG. 1, the length L₁ of the sheet 10 is about 4 times the width W₁ of the floor panel 10. Consequently, the package 100 of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 contains eight (8) containers 110. This configuration has been deemed convenient for a particular application and does not limit the present disclosure as distinct configurations may be more suitable for other applications.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of a combination package according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the combination package of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the combination package of FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the combination package of FIG. 5. Referring at once to FIGS. 5 to 8, a combination package 200 includes two (2) packages 100 glued side by side. In the example of FIG. 8, articles 110 are not stacked but extend substantially over the heights H₁ and H₂ of the side panels 14 and 16. The combination package 200 is formed by applying glue between the side panel 14 of one package 100 and the side panel 16 of another package 100 before joining the two (2) packages 100. Of course, other configurations joining the side panels 16 of two (2) packages 100 or joining the side panels 14 of two (2) packages 100 are also contemplated. A combination package including three (3) or more packages 100 glued side by side is also contemplated.

FIGS. 9a and 9b provide a representation of an operation of tearing a tearable retention of the package of FIG. 2. FIGS. 9c and 9d provide a representation of an operation of unfolding a foldable retention of the package of FIG. 2. FIGS. 9e, 9f and 9g provide a representation of an operation of pushing articles from the package FIG. 2. FIGS. 9a-9g collectively illustrate a method of placing articles on a shelf. The same method is applicable whether one desires to place the articles on a shelf in a store or whether the package is sold to a consumer who desires to place the articles on a shelf at home. FIGS. 9a and 9b show displacing the bottom retention 24 by tearing along the scorings 30, at a first end of the package 100, this operation occurring before placing the package 100 on the shelf. FIGS. 9c and 9d show displacing the top retention 34 by unfolding, at the first end of the package 100, so that the articles are now free to slide from the package 100. FIGS. 9e, 9f and 9g show pushing on the articles through a second end of the enclosure opposite from the first end so that the articles slide onto the shelf. In particular, FIG. 9g shows that the articles, in this case the containers 110, are placed on the shelf in the same configuration as they were when enclosed within the package 100. FIG. 9g also shows that is it not necessary to tear or unfold the retractable retentions 24 and 34 at the second end of the enclosure when pushing on the articles.

The operations of FIGS. 9a-9g may remain unchanged when effected on the combination package 200.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the description of the package, pre-formed foldable sheet, method of grouping articles and method of placing articles on a shelf are illustrative only and are not intended to be in any way limiting. Other embodiments will readily suggest themselves to such persons with ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the disclosed package, pre-formed foldable sheet and methods may be customized to offer valuable solutions to existing needs and problems related to manpower requirements for placing items on store shelves. In the interest of clarity, not all of the routine features of the implementations of the package, pre-formed foldable sheet and methods are shown and described.

It will, of course, be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation of the package, pre-formed foldable sheet and methods, numerous implementation-specific decisions may need to be made in order to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with application-, system-, and business-related constraints, and that these specific goals will vary from one implementation to another and from one developer to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of engineering for those of ordinary skill in the field of packaging having the benefit of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure has been described in the foregoing specification by means of non-restrictive illustrative embodiments provided as examples. These illustrative embodiments may be modified at will. The scope of the claims should not be limited by the embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A package, comprising: an enclosure sized and configured for receiving a plurality of articles aligned within the enclosure, the enclosure having an opening at each of two opposite ends; and at least one retention at each of the two opposite ends, at least one of the two opposite ends including at least one retractable retention.
 2. The package of claim 1, wherein each of the two opposite ends includes a pair of retractable retentions.
 3. The package of claim 1, wherein one of the at least one retractable retention is a tearable retention.
 4. The package of claim 1, wherein one of the at least one retractable retention is a foldable retention.
 5. The package of claim 1, comprising: a foldable retention tab in a first corner of each of the two opposite ends; and a tearable retention tab in a second corner of each of the two opposite ends, the second corner being opposite from the first corner.
 6. The package of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is formed by folding a pre-formed foldable sheet.
 7. The package of claim 6, wherein each of the retractable retentions is pre-formed in the pre-formed foldable sheet.
 8. A method of grouping articles, comprising: aligning the plurality of articles on the pre-formed foldable sheet of claim 6; folding the pre-formed foldable sheet to enclose the plurality of articles; gluing opposite edges of the pre-formed foldable sheet together to form the enclosure about the plurality of articles; and folding the at least one retention at each of the two opposite ends of the enclosure.
 9. The method of claim 8, comprising gluing two packages side-by-side.
 10. A method of placing articles on a shelf, comprising: placing the package of claim 1 on the shelf; displacing the at least one retractable retention at a first end of the enclosure to free the plurality of articles; and pushing on the plurality of articles through a second end of the enclosure opposite from the first end so that the plurality of articles slides onto the shelf.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein displacing one of the at least one retractable retention at the first end of the enclosure comprises tearing the one of the at least one retractable retention.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein displacing one of the at least one retractable retention at the first end of the enclosure comprises unfolding the one of the at least one retractable retention.
 13. A combination package comprising two packages of claim 1 glued side-by-side.
 14. A pre-formed foldable sheet, comprising: a floor panel; a pair of side panels attached at lower ends thereof on each side of the floor panel; a first top flap extending from an upper end of one of the side panels; a second top flap extending from an upper end of another one of the side panels; a first retention positioned at a first end of the pre-formed foldable sheet on one of the floor panel and the first top flap; and a second retention positioned at a second end of the pre-formed foldable sheet opposite from the first end, the second retention being positioned on one of the floor panel and the first top flap.
 15. The pre-formed foldable sheet of claim 14, wherein the floor panel includes a pre-formed bottom retention at each of the first and second ends of the pre-formed foldable sheet.
 16. The pre-formed foldable sheet of claim 14, wherein the first top flap includes a pre-formed top retention at each of the first and second ends of the pre-formed foldable sheet.
 17. The pre-formed foldable sheet of claim 14, comprising tearable pre-formed bottom retentions and foldable pre-formed top retentions.
 18. The pre-formed foldable sheet of claim 14, comprising foldable pre-formed bottom retentions and foldable pre-formed top retentions.
 19. The pre-formed foldable sheet of claim 14, comprising tearable pre-formed bottom retentions and tearable pre-formed top retentions.
 20. The pre-formed foldable sheet of claim 14, comprising foldable pre-formed bottom retentions and tearable pre-formed top retentions.
 21. The pre-formed foldable sheet of claim 16, wherein a width of the first top flap is equal to a width of the second top flap.
 22. The pre-formed foldable sheet of claim 21, wherein the second top flap is truncated for being glued to the first top flap without interfering with the pre-formed top retentions.
 23. The pre-formed foldable sheet of claim 14, wherein scorings in the pre-formed foldable sheet delimit the floor panel, the side panels and the top flaps. 